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` W. P. UNDBRHILL.

)INVALID BEDSTEAD.

No. 325,993. Patented Sept.,8, 1885.

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Patented Sept. 8, 1885.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM P. UNDERHILL, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

INVALID-BEDSTEAD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 325,993. dated September 8, 1885..

Application filed February 1S, 1884.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, WILLIAM P. UNDER- HILL, of the city of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Invalid- Bedsteads, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to invalid bedstcads which have combined with the bedstead a bottom or main frame and means whereby it may be raised and lowered, a sacking which is intended to be placed upon the mattress and to rest thereon and be raised with the bottom or main frame, and elevated supports, to which the sacking may be attached when raised, whereby the patient may be supported by the sacking while the mattress or main frame is lowered and the bed made up.

The invention consists in novel combinations of parts hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a longitudinal section of a bedstead embodying the invention, the bed being in its lowered position and the sacking being represented by dotted lines in an elevated position. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section, the parts being in the same position as in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a section similar to Fig. l, the bed and main and false bottoms or frames being shown in the elevated position to which they must be brought to enable the sacking to be hooked in place; and Fig. 4 is a plan corresponding to Fig. 3.

Similar letters of reference designate corre sponding parts in all the figures.

A designates the posts -of the bedstead, and A designates longitudinal side pieces, one of which is hinged at a, so that it'- may be swung downward and outward, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. v

In the bedstead is arranged a main bottom or frame, B, which, as here shown, consists of longitudinal bars b and pairs of cross-bars c, but which may be otherwise constructed. This main frame or bottom is capable of being raised and lowered in guides formed by the posts A.

C 'designates a shaft extending lengthwise of the bedstead and supported in bearings c. This shaft may be turned in either direction (No model.)

by means of a crank, C. From the shaft C cords or chains d pass over pulleys e, thence upward and over pulleys e', and downward to the four corners ofthe bottom or frame B, to which they are connected. It will therefore be seen that the shaft C constitutes a windlass, by turning which the bottom or frame B may be readily raised from the position shown in Figs. l and 2 to that shown in Fig. 3, and said bottom or frame will beheld in any position to which it is` raised by means of a pawl, f, engaging with a ratchet-wheelf on the shaft C. In order to insure the free descent of the bottom or frame B when the shaft Gis turned in the proper direction, and to prevent said bottom or frame from jamming in its guides, I attach to opposite ends thereof cords or chains g, which are passed around the shaft Gin a reverse direction to the cords or chains d. Consequently, when the cords or chains d are tightened or wound up, the cords or chains g will be loosened, and vice versa. When the bottom or frame B is lowered, it rests upon supports or ledges b atopposite ends of the bedstead. These ledges or projections b form fixed supports whereby the main frame B may be supported in its normal or lowermost position, with the weight of the patient upon it, and independently of the cords or connections whereby it is raised and lowered.

Upon the rising and falling main bottom B is placed a false bottom or frame, D, which moves up and down with the bottom B, and which may be slid laterally independent of the bottom B. As' shown in `Figures l and 3, the false bottom D rests and is free to slide on the crossbars c of the main bottom B, and has'hangers h, which project down between the pairs of cross-bars c and carry-rollers h',

' which bear on the under sides of said bars,

thus preventing the false bottom from tilting when pulled out.

E designates a seeking of canvas or other suitable material,which is as large as' the bed, and which vmay be placed under the patient and over the mattress F. This sacking has at its ends eyelet-holes i, and .when it is raised suiiioiently the sacking may be hooked or buttoned at one4 end onto hooks or pins j at the head of the bedstead, and at the other end it may be similarly hooked or button'ed onto hooks or pinsj, iixed in a shaft, k,whieh extends across the foot of the bedstcad, and which may be turned by a crank, k. The shaft is kept from turning back and the sacking is kept under tension by a pawl, Z, engaging with a ratchet-wheel, Z, on the shaft k. The bottoms B D may then be lowered wit-h the mattress, and the patient will be left upon the saeking, which will then be supported at its ends only. w

After the bottoms and mattress have thus been lowered the hinged side A of the bedstead is turned down and the false bottom D, supporting the mattress F, is drawn out horizontally, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, its outer edge being supported by a hinged or other leg, m. The bed is made up while the false bottom is drawn out, and the latter, with the made bed, is then pushed back into place and the hinged side A is turned up.

G designates a small table, which has a leg, n, detachably secured to the side of the bedstead. It is thus supported in position to be used by the invalid.

rIhe saching E has in it a hole, o, and two smallerholes, o, and the patient may be seated on the holes 0, with his legs through the holes o, and a chambenvessel, II, may be placed beneath the hole 0.

I am aware that it is not new to provide a bedstead with elevated supports from which a saeking or false frame may be suspended while the main frame, on which the mattress is supported, is lowered away from the sucking .and patient; but in that bedstead there are no Exe-'d supports for holding the main frame in its normal position,\vith the weight ofthe patient upon it, independently ot' the iexible patent the said mattress-supporti ng frame cannot be raised and lowered bodily and positively,and there is no saeking and no elevated supports to which a sacking mightbe secured.

In that` I am also aware that it is not new'to employ a sacking having a hole for the passage of dejections from the patient; but I am not aware that such a saeking has ever been also pro vided with leg-holes to permit o t' the patient assuming a natural sitting posture on the sacking` while at stool.

I make no claim to anything shown or described in any of the patents above referred to.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with a bedstcad, of a bottom or main frame, B, serving to support the mattress, and shoulders b', forming fixed supports for said main frame when lowered, a single windlass, G, tlcxible connections d g,

. wound in opposite directions on said windlass and attached to the bottom or main frame, pulleys e c for the connections d, whereby the bottom or main trame may be both positively raised and lowered bodily, a sacking, E, resting upon the mattress and to be raised with the main frame, and elevated and fixed supports j 7" at the top of the bedstcad, to which the sacking is to be secured when the bottom or main frame is raised, substantially as herein described.

2. The combination, with a bedstcad, abottom or main frame, and a windlass, flexible 'eonneetionsand pulleys for raising and lowering the same, of a saeking provided with holes o o o to receive the seat and legs of the pa tient,and elevated supports to which the sacking may be secured when raised, substantially as herein described.

3. The combination, with a bedstead, the bottom or main frame, B, composed of longitudinal and cross bars or piecesb c, a sacking and elevated supports therefor tthe top of the bedstcad, and a windlass, flexible connections,and pulleys for raising said main frame, with the sucking and patient upon it, of a false bottom or frame, D, resting upon said main frame, and hangers h, attached to the false bottom and extending below said main frame, and provided below the main frame with rollers 7,whieh bear upon the crossbars thereof', substantially as herein described.

\VM. P. UNDERHILL.

W'itnesses:

FnnDK. HAYNEs, M A 'rrn nw Pormoo n'.

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